Dear Friends and Supporters, I write you today with mixed emotions as my year-long campaign for the

Congress came to an end this Tuesday night. Although the end result may not have been what we had hoped for, I am proud of the effort we put forward and the positive, issues-based campaign we ran. We never resorted to divisive rhetoric or petty personal attacks because my decision to run for office was not a product of hyperpartisanship-it was in response to it. Since I first began meeting with friends and neighbors about my potential candidacy last fall, I assured them that if I was fortunate enough to be elected, I would serve the people of my District not my party's leadership because the domestic and foreign threats facing our nation are that grave. Americans deserve and should rightfully demand that their elected officials work tirelessly not on their own re-election bids but to promote the sound fiscal and monetary policies which will balance our budget, reduce the debt and put the country back to work. So many of you have done so much and asked for so little that it would be impossible to name you all but I would be remiss if I did not thank my entire family, especially my wife and three daughters, who sacrificed so much to make this campaign a reality. I would also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the volunteers who gave up their evenings and weekends to knock on doors, hand out palm cards, and work our phone banks to help spread the word about my candidacy. And finally, to all of you who supported me, I thank you for your kindness, encouragement and the faith you put in me. I will not forget it. My Congressional campaign may be over but our work is not done. We are at risk of leaving a weaker nation to our children and grandchildren for the first time in our nation's history. I, for one, will not let that happen and I urge all of you to remain engaged and vigilant to ensure that our representatives work in a bipartisan manner to ensure our economic vitality and keep America strong. Gratefully yours, Bob